House Republicans are struggling to unify behind a massive legislative package aimed at enacting President Donald Trump’s 2025 policy agenda. The plan — intended to be passed by Memorial Day — includes:

• Extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts

• Boosting military and immigration enforcement funding

• Raising the debt ceiling

• Finding steep federal spending cuts to offset new costs

Major Early Snags:

• $20 Vehicle Fee Dropped: A Transportation Committee proposal for a small car fee was scrapped after conservatives, especially from the Freedom Caucus, labeled it a “car tax.”

• Student Loan Overhaul Criticized: A $351 billion education bill advanced by Rep. Tim Walberg includes controversial risk-sharing provisions, shifting unpaid student debt burden to colleges.

• “Gold Card” Visa Blocked: A plan from Rep. Darrell Issa to sell $5M green cards for wealthy investors was killed by Rep. Chip Roy and other hardliners opposed to visa expansion.

• Medicaid Cuts Loom: The Energy and Commerce Committee must find $880 billion in savings. Proposals include work requirements, but many moderate Republicans are wary of deep Medicaid cuts.

Underlying Tensions:

• Thin House majority (220–213) means even a small rebellion can kill the bill.

• SALT deduction fight: Blue-state Republicans are pushing for a higher cap on State and Local Tax deductions, facing opposition from fiscal hawks.

• Conservative resistance: GOP hardliners are rejecting anything that hints at expanding programs, even if revenue-generating — such as the gold visa.

The Bigger Picture:

Speaker Mike Johnson is racing to unify the party in time to pass the package by Memorial Day, but tensions over Medicaid, tax fairness, and visa policy signal deeper divides. GOP leaders are framing the bill as key to advancing Trump’s second-term legacy, but the budget math and ideological splits make success far from guaranteed.